Chapter 90

Everyone present was stunned.

Uchiha Jin’s conduct, methods, and personality shocked them—after all, such behavior didn’t resemble an Uchiha at all.

Even…

Even the Nara family members looked deeply strange.

There was no choice!

This kind of approach sounded normal coming from their own mouths, but hearing it from an Uchiha felt utterly unnatural.

Had they not been certain Uchiha Jin had awakened his Sharingan, they might have suspected he was actually a Nara who’d been swapped at birth in the hospital—likely taken by an Uchiha.

Especially Shikamaru and Shikaku, both were thoroughly impressed by Uchiha Jin’s tactics.

Even in such a short time, they could hardly conceive such a precise opening—and the two couldn’t help sighing. With a leader this capable and ruthless, they could already imagine how much harder their lives would become.

Yes!

They truly conceded!

Even just the mess in the Police Force had been turned into a masterpiece by Uchiha Jin.

At first,

Uchiha Jin had used the Police Force to break the deadlock, forcing Hiruzen Sarutobi into constant defense—even tarnishing the Anbu’s reputation. Now, he was using the Police Force again as a pawn to tear open Hiruzen Sarutobi’s very foundation.

Truly, one clever move wins the whole game!

Especially drafting the inquiry letter demanding a full audit of the village’s finances—it struck directly at the village’s highest echelons’ fatal weakness.

Because he knew better than anyone else: this system couldn’t withstand scrutiny.

Normally, even if this leaked, it would at most force Danzo to take the blame—and the matter would be buried.

But now, it was different!

It had been two or three years since the Third Shinobi War ended, yet the village still hadn’t paid out any compensation, rewards for meritorious service, or settlements for war contracts…

All sorts of chaotic matters required financial backing.

And last month, someone had already caused a stir over this—only barely suppressed. Shikaku and Shikamaru knew perfectly well: the village’s high command had been waiting to eliminate the Uchiha, then use their wealth to plug the fiscal hole.

But now?

The Uchiha were growing stronger by the day—and they’d joined the cause themselves. This path was now clearly blocked!

And if Uchiha Jin exposed this, and the village learned it had money but withheld compensation while funds vanished mysteriously, imagine what kind of madness the civilian ninja would unleash.

Yes!

Though the village wore the mask of the Will of Fire, in truth, Konoha remained a military fortress—ninja were fundamentally mercenaries who worked for pay.

So many died in the war, yet Itachi won’t even pay compensation or contract fees? And the village’s finances just… vanished?

Hah!

Unless Hiruzen Sarutobi can immediately fill this hole, his position as Hokage is over.

“Alright, understood!”

“I have the village’s financial records. I’ll draft the inquiry letter immediately—it’ll be submitted to the Hokage’s office no later than tomorrow afternoon.”

“Tomorrow afternoon, everyone, remember to come to my house to sign!”

Shikaku Nara smiled.

He grew more convinced than ever that Shikamaru’s idea was right. With Uchiha Jin’s ruthless tactics and terrifying power, Hiruzen Sarutobi and his allies had no hope left.

More importantly, Uchiha Jin’s governing policy!

He didn’t restrict the development of the ninja clans—something worth fighting for with everything they had.

Hearing this, everyone nodded with smiles.

Then,

Since the main matters were settled, the atmosphere naturally lightened. They chatted idly for a while before parting ways.

…

The next day, afternoon.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, just awakened, rushed to the Hokage’s office.

Though still extremely weak, he had no choice but to force himself to sit there to barely keep the village from collapsing.

No choice!

If he, the Hokage, collapsed now, his remaining factions would crumble entirely.

At this moment,

With Danzo gone, Konoha’s F3 began tense deliberations.

Meanwhile,

Shikaku Nara, having already drafted the inquiry letter, had submitted it through official channels to the Jonin Council.

Yes!

Normally, rules didn’t matter—friends could just hand documents directly to the Hokage. But now, everyone was enemies; everything had to be done legally and properly.

Likewise,

As both sides prepared for their next move, Jiraiya dragged a reluctant Tsunade back.

Tsunade’s face was full of displeasure.

Even her gaze toward Jiraiya held a hidden, deadly intent.

She wasn’t foolish.

The reason she’d left Konoha years ago was because she sensed something wrong—the deaths of the Senju had been far too unnatural.

Back then, she was powerless. Though her grandmother Kushina Uzumaki had tried to investigate, her Uzumaki surname made her claims ignored—leading to the Senju’s complete extinction.

Later, the fates of Katsuyu and Katasuke only hardened her resolve.

It was precisely then that Kakashi Hatake’s father committed suicide—finally showing Tsunade just how ruthless her teacher truly was.

From that moment, she made her decision.

Leave Konoha!

And she would never return while Hiruzen Sarutobi lived—she didn’t want to see him.

Revenge?

She’d entertained the idea—and even tried.

But, unfortunately,

She failed at the first step.

When she attempted to rally ninja clans using the Senju name, she immediately sensed their strange behavior and swallowed her words.

Later, after investigation, she broke into a cold sweat.

It turned out: nearly every ninja clan had participated in the destruction of the Senju.

Finally,

She left with Shizune.

The enemy’s power was too vast—even with Senju heritage, she couldn’t fight the entire village.

This was also why, in the original timeline, she refused to return to Konoha. Even after seeing traces of Senju Katsuyu in Naruto Uzumaki, when she became Hokage, she did so only for the name “Konoha.”

She had no closeness with the ninja clans.

Revenge? Meaningless.

Because Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo were dead, and she couldn’t fully settle accounts with the other two—Mizukami and Tenzan—without reopening the old, filthy secrets.

So, in the end,

After the Fourth Shinobi War, she simply stepped down—choosing to ignore it all.

As for—now?

Hiruzen Sarutobi still sat on the Hokage’s throne. She truly didn’t want to return to this dark village, even if it carried the legacy of her two grandfathers’ lifetimes.

But…

Jiraiya was a bastard!

He ignored her resistance—even threatened to fight her—to drag her back to Konoha!